Do anti-ageing NAD supplements really work?

NAD supplements

are flying off the shelves, thanks to influencers and podcasters endorsing them, claiming that they can turn back the clock on ageing. Mankind’s obsession with maintaining youthfulness and longevity is never going out of style, and nor is the emergence of anti-ageing treatments. NAD is the supplement that is going viral amongst the elites across the globe. Preliminary studies are promising, but does it really work?

What is NAD supplement?

NAD is an acronym for

nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

, a compound found naturally in our body’s cells that is crucial in energy metabolism. The levels of this coenzyme decrease naturally over time. It starts to dip by nearly 50 percent once the individual enters their 40s.
NAD+ can, directly and indirectly, influence many key cellular functions, including metabolic pathways, DNA repair, chromatin remodeling, cellular senescence, and immune cell function. NAD are now available as a dietary supplement because of its anti-ageing properties.

Does the supplement really work?

Dr. Sarah Espinoza, director of Translational Geroscience at Cedars-Sinai, who has been studying NAD, told ABC7 that the levels of this co-enzyme go down with age, and is associated with

age-related diseases

. These age-related ailments include dementia, diabetes, and vascular disease. She stated that there are no major adverse effects of taking the supplement for a relatively short period of time, for instance a few weeks. And the supplements do increase NAD levels in the cells in the blood.

The study also found out that though the NAD levels came up, they didn’t find any significant benefit in terms of a cognitive boost. Though some animal studies suggest that NAD boosting can improve mitochondrial function, insulin regulation, and cognition, they are yet to be proven in human studies. Some of the side effects of the supplement may include headaches, fatigue, nausea, and indigestion.

As NAD is a relatively new supplement in the market, she states that at the moment it is not recommended based on the currently available findings. NAD supplements are taken intravenously and as injectable. So far, most research has focused on oral NAD supplements, but the demand for expensive

NAD intravenous infusions

and injectables is on the rise. According to Espinoza, there is no evidence that these methods offer any additional benefits compared to the pills. Currently, NAD supplements range anywhere between $20 to $150 per month depending on the brand and dosage.
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